1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a chemical warfare agent decontamination (decon) solution. More particularly, the decontamination solution includes a microemulsion composition having a solid source of peroxycarboxylic acid dissolved in the microemulsion and a germinant in combination with the solid peroxycarboxylic acid. The decontaminating solution is useful in neutralizing chemical and biological warfare agents.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Chemical agents (CA) and biological agents (BA), (collectively CB agents) are becoming an increasingly problematic to military commander and civil authorities. Use of these agents is known in chemical (CW) and biological (BW) warfare. Biological agents are particulates that include microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. Unlike chemical agents, a time delay may occur before the full extent of the effects of the biological agents become apparent. In some biological agents, such as anthrax, spore production enables biological agents to remain in an environment for years while retaining biological activity.
Chemical agents, used as CW agents, include vesicants such as Sulfur Mustard (HD), Nitrogen Mustard (HN-1; HN-2 and HN-3), Lewisite (L), nerve gases that include phosphonofluoridates such as Tabun (GA), Sarin (GB) and Soman (GD) and V compounds that include phosphorylthiocholines such as VX. Vesicants act as blistering agents that attack skin and mucous membranes. Nerve agents act on the central nervous system by reacting with the enzyme acetylcholinesterase to cause respiratory collapse, convulsions and death.
Methods for decontamination of chemical warfare agents, which include a variety of organophosphorus and organosulfur compounds, are known in the art. However, these known methods use compositions which have certain undesirable properties, including corrosiveness, flammability and toxicity. For example, hypochlorite formulations are very corrosive and toxic. Additionally, application of the hypochlorite decontaminant often requires substantial scrubbing for removal and destruction of the chemical warfare agent, a procedure which limits its use.
One decontaminant, Decontamination Solution 2 (DS2) used by the United States Army, is useful against a variety of chemical and biological warfare agents. DS2 contains 70% diethylenetriamine, 28% ethylene glycol monomethyl ether and 2% sodium hydroxide. However, DS2 spontaneously ignites upon contact with hypochlorites and hypochlorite-based decontaminants. Further, DS2 may cause corrosion to aluminum, cadmium, tin and zinc after prolonged contact, and softens and removes paint. Similar corrosion and human toxicity problems exist with the bleach decontamination solution (HTH) used by the United States Navy. Current decontamination solutions, while effective against both chemical and biological agents, use hydrogen peroxide as the primary oxidant. Liquid hydrogen peroxide presents handling, storage, and shipping problems. These solutions, in the mixed form, tend to offgas and foam.
Strong oxidizers may be used to detoxify warfare agent, however, several problems exist with the use of the strong oxidizers. The reactivity of most strong oxidizers inhibit long shelf life of any decontaminating solution, tend to be corrosive, and are hazardous to humans and the environment. Also, most of the strong oxidizers are liquids, making shipping and storage a problem.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an effective chemical and biological warfare agent decontamination solution that is particularly effective against hazardous biological organisms while being non-corrosive, nontoxic, nonflammable, and environmentally safe. The present invention addresses this and other needs.